It’s been almost 5 years since we heard the sad news of Steve Job’s death. It’s still hard to imagine Apple without his magic attached.
That man was a rockstar in his own right. He was a college dropout, a demanding boss, and an unapologetic critic of his competitors. Yet, he was also a visionary and one of the most brilliant inventors of 21st century, with a cult following of his own in the world of technology.
Jobs was also an extremely private person. As a result, there were a whole lot of rumors surrounding him that he never bothered to confirm or deny. Here are five quirky myths about Jobs you may or may not have heard.
Myth 1: Jobs was a bully at work.
Reality: He wasn’t exactly a bully. He was a perfectionist who turned his attention to the tiniest of details and drove those around him to do the same. At the same time he was fair. He applauded employees who did great work, but also criticised those who didn’t show results. Either way, thanks to his insane drive, Apple went on to create some of the most phenomenally advanced gadgets of its time.
Myth 2: Apple Inc. paid Jobs an annual salary of just $1.
Reality: It is true that when Jobs returned to his position of CEO of Apple in 1997, he agreed to take a salary of just $1 for the next 14 years. A magnanimous gesture at a time when the company wasn’t doing all that well, it was Jobs way of showing how much he cared for the company. Instead of drawing a fat paycheck, he preferred that the money be invested in the company’s better future. However, the job was not without its perks. Apple has a practice of paying its executives in stock and also offers performance awards. For instance, Jobs got an $88 million private jet from the company because it sold a record number of computers in 2000! According to the Forbes’ 2010 list, Jobs was the 136th richest man in the world with a net worth of $55 billion.
Myth 3: Jobs wore the same outfit, a black mock turtleneck and a pair of jeans, to work everyday.
Reality: Sure that sounds the most comfy outfit to work in but Jobs did change his outfits whenever he thought it was appropriate. He wore a black tuxedo to the Academy Awards in 2007. He also sometimes went to work in a white t-shirt and black vest with a pair of jeans. How’s that for variety?
Myth 4: His car had an exclusive barcode license plate to maintain privacy and safety.
Reality: This is one of those practical pranks that Steve Jobs enjoyed playing every now and then. Yes, his car did have something that appeared to be a barcode (and you should have heard the ludicrous theories offered up by the masses to explain this), but the reality was something entirely different. The barcode was actually the car’s VIN number that is placed by Mercedes on every single car they have. Apparently, Steve Jobs was in the habit of taking the license plate off for reasons that are only known to this eccentric genius. Other rules that Jobs would gleefully violate would be parking his silver Mercedes in the space allotted to the handicapped. Tch, tch, tch. How very naughty of him.
Myth 5: Jobs vowed never to visit Japan again.
Reality: Continuing Jobs’ tryst with controversy and bad-assery, in 2010, it was reported that when he was returning from Japan, he was detained at the airport. Why exactly? Because he happened to be carrying shuriken (ninja throwing stars) which airport officials refused to let him carry aboard his private jet. Jobs is believed to have told them that that he was no security threat and it wouldn’t make sense somebody to try and hijack his own plane. The conversation ended with him declaring that he would never return to Japan. The entire story was rubbished and an Apple spokesperson rushed to affirm the world that Steve Jobs had enjoyed his stay in the country and hopes to visit it again. But then again, did he? Hmmmmm … !
